Turtle Beach made a great SteelSeries model for less than $50

Me actually he liked it SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wirelessso the company didn’t have to say much to get me excited about his successor. The $399 Nova Pro Omni that came out on May 5 has the same design as the 2022 model, but with some new features and improvements – support for hi-res audio (24-bit / 96kHz audio over 2.4GHz), better mic quality, and compatibility with all consoles in all models, to name a few. Everything $599 Nova Elite they are on Omni with good build quality and great drivers.

But things got interesting when, a few weeks before the Omni was announced, Turtle Beach showed off its Stealth Pro 2. To say that it was inspired by previous SteelSeries devices is putting it mildly. It has replaceable batteries, a wireless charging port, a quick audio converter, and the ability to listen to 2.4GHz audio and Bluetooth simultaneously. In addition, it offers wireless hi-res audio support, too, and slightly cheaper price $349.

So, I did what was necessary: ​​I invited both of them to test them at the same time to see what I thought was the most important. What I’ve come to realize is that SteelSeries’ $399 Arctis Nova Pro Omni and Turtle Beach’s $349 Stealth Pro 2 are both great for a number of reasons, but they’re not worth buying based on their hi-res audio capabilities alone — a big selling point for both. I couldn’t notice the difference in hi-res compared to standard rate (24-bit, 48kHz) on my Windows 11 PC.

I tried several lossless albums in Qobuz, playing a lot Marathonwhich contains little words based on location that will inform me of my impending doom. I can’t really consider myself an audiophile because I have tinnitus, which prevents me from hearing very loud sounds. Regardless, I’m in good company with many other people who can’t see the difference in hi-res. It all sounded the same to me. Good, but not enough to inspire you to buy new headphones.

Functionally, the AirPods Max-inspired Stealth Pro 2 is the best option if you don’t have all your sports gear in a central location. Mine are scattered around my house, so I like that the Stealth Pro 2 has a button that switches between transmitters (all the while maintaining a Bluetooth connection to my phone).

Both the Omni and the Stealth Pro 2 allow you to adjust on the fly to match the mic settings via the mobile app over Bluetooth, so you don’t have to run to your PC to change settings. However, the Turtle Beach theme gives you more options for accessories. You can move with a button on the Stealth Pro 2, and there are three dials to change the USB source and Bluetooth volume independently and adjust the game/chat mix levels. You can also change what some of its add-ons do in its app. SteelSeries offers many controls for the GameHub station.

The Arctis Nova Pro Omni is slightly different in execution, but similar in function and design to the Nova Pro Wireless. Its hub is the audio brain of all your gaming devices, assuming they’re all within 5 feet of its two included USB-C-to-USB-A cables. It can receive four audio sources (three USB-C, and 3.5mm audio), and mix three at the same time, including Bluetooth. Mics also work on platforms. The Omni is the best option if its USB audio source-swapping base station is always available.

These headphones manage to have rich, clear sound that makes me feel like I’m in the game. Even without good noise canceling effects, their ears can hear outside noise. Both of these software offer similar settings through their PC software, but I like how the Omni sounds even with the same EQ settings on the headphones. It has strong mids and highs and warmth when needed, very controlled bass, and good definition between frequencies. The Stealth Pro 2 comes close, though.

One area where SteelSeries excels is mic quality. Its retractable mic is superior to that offered by Turtle Beach’s flip-to-mute mic. My voice sounds warm and detailed (and doesn’t sound like I’m talking on the phone). Although, it doesn’t sound better than a dedicated desktop microphone.

Many people have probably already realized that hearing gels are the best for their setup. The Stealth Pro 2 has a very interesting price tag that’s $50 less than the Omni, plus a few nice features that I like to see offered in a SteelSeries headset. Also, it may not be suitable for everyone’s setup or audio preferences.

The Omni is a great headset, too, but if your budget is limited to $300, the SteelSeries Nova Pro Wireless is still a great headset that retails for around $270. Its lack of hi-res audio doesn’t disappoint me, and there’s a lot to like about the look, feel, and performance of the final version.

Photography by Cameron Faulkner/The Verge